The former deputy education minister said she supported the Keluarga Malaysia Foundation (YKM) initiative but questioned why should the assistance stop when these orphans attained 18 years of age.
“Access to higher education has become a human right in today’s world.
“For those who lost both their parents, what are their chances of obtaining a higher education if YKM stops all aid when they reach the age of 18?” she said when debating the national budget in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob launched the Keluarga Malaysia Foundation on Oct 23, with the aim of providing children who were orphaned by Covid-19 with support, primarily for education, until they reach the age of 18.
Teo then recalled Ismail’s sharing of a meeting with 13 children from two different families who had lost their parents to Covid-19 during the launch ceremony of the foundation in Kuching.
One of them was 11-year-old Hadrami Hasil who was the eldest of five siblings.
“If Hadrami, who is now forced to become the head of his household, is given the chance to pursue higher education, he will be able to support and provide better care for his four younger siblings,” she said.
She said she hoped that Ismail would consider her plea so that the orphans do not lose their chance at gaining a higher education having already lost their parents.
Teo then took a dig at the government’s decision to switch from the Proton Perdana 2.4L Premium to the Toyota Vellfire 2.5L as the official car for all Cabinet members and other government officials.
“In my opinion, the government is smart as they are able to save RM2.80 for every car every month.
“So I have full confidence that the government will find another way to bear the cost of the orphans’ education,” she said.
Teo added that if the money from the RM620.07 million of public funds that were lost or wasted last year had been saved, every single child orphaned due to Covid-19 could be given RM120,000 every year.
On the issue of a 16-year-old whose citizenship application was rejected recently because he was born out of wedlock, Teo highlighted there was a disparity in the ruling when compared to a similar case when the Ipoh High Court granted citizenship to a five-year-old girl on Oct 25.
“The facts of these two cases are similar. Both children were born in Malaysia, both fathers are Malaysians, the mothers are foreigners and the marriage was not registered at the time they were born,” she said.
She said it was time for the government to relook at the Federal Constitution to resolve citizenship issues like this.
“Yes, it was the mistake of the fathers to not register the marriages. But why do we have to punish these innocent children,” she said.
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